The Oscar-nominated film Philomena tells the tale of an Irish Catholic mother separated from her son by one of Ireland’s infamous 20th century Magdalene Laundries. But this adoption system wasn’t limited to mid-century Ireland; there are millions of Philomenas out there.

Raylan Alleman and William Gil are ultra-conservative Louisiana Catholics, have 16 children between them, and champion a male supremacist worldview that finds support in a literal reading of scripture.